The NAACP Image Awards officially began on Monday, giving out a set of awards each night. Beyoncé won four NAACP Image Awards this year, more than anyone else. Meghan Thee Stallion, Chloe x Halle, Jon Batiste and Marsai Martin of ABC’s black-ish each won two (as did Boseman and Davis).
The Bridgerton star was among the big winners at Saturday’s 52nd NAACP Image Awards ceremony, earning the Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series award for his performance on Netflix’s steamy series.
D-Nice took the award for entertainer of the year. D-Nice has received a series of honors in the past year. He won a 2020 Webby Award for artist of the year. He also was one of the recipients of the Shine a Light award during the 2020 BET Awards. Davis and Boseman each won a second Image Award this year. Other winners included Issa Rae for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (for Insecure), Bad Boys For Life for Outstanding Motion Picture.Eddie Murphy also received the prestigious Hall of Fame Award, joining such past honorees as Oprah Winfrey and Richard Pryor.

LeBron James received the President’s Award for his public service achievements that highlighted works by entertainers and writers of colour. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar was recognised for his effort through his LeBron James Family Foundation and his I Promise School, a co-curricular educational initiative. Last year, he launched More Than a Vote – a coalition of black athletes and artists – that is dedicated to educating and protecting black voters.
After James accepted the award on Saturday night, he thanked the NAACP for recognising his efforts beyond the basketball court. “This award is so much more than myself,” he said. “I’m here receiving it, but this dives into everything that I’m a part of.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michelle Obama presented Stacey Abrams with the first Social Justice Impact award. Abrams was honoured for her political efforts to combat voter suppression, including by founding Fair Fight Action, an organization that promotes fair elections in Georgia, in 2018 and voting rights work that helped turn Georgia into a swing state.The former first lady said Abrams’s “courage is contagious, her approach is inclusive, and her eyes are fixed on the mountain top that has always brought out the best within us”.

After Obama called her “unstoppable”, Abrams accepted the award at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. She said her upbringing helped steer her in the right direction.

“[My parents] taught me and my five siblings that having nothing was not an excuse for doing nothing,” she said. “Instead, they showed by word and deed. To use our faith as a shield to protect the defenceless. To use our voices to call out injustices. And to use our education and our time to solve the problems that others turn away from.” Abrams, who served as the minority leader in Georgia’s state House of Representatives, became the first Black female gubernatorial nominee for a major party in the U.S. in 2018. The voting rights activist was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize last month.

 

Watch the Saturday’s 52nd Watch the 52’s NAACP Image Awards ceremony

 

AlizeLaVie 03/29/2021